Pragaash Row: 3 arrested for cyber bullying girls in J&K

Srinagar, Feb 7: Police have arrested three youths in connection with online abuse and threats to members of all girl rock band "Pragaash" in Srinagar on Thursday, Feb 7.

Police says, a special investigation team (SIT) of Jammu and Kashmir Police had arrested Tariq Khan from Bijbehara in South Kashmir and Rameez Shah from Ganderbal in central Kashmir yesterday evening, a third yet unmanned suspect was picked up today morning.

Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Ashok Prasad, who is closely monitoring the case, has directed stepping up of patrolling in the areas where two of the three girls of the band group reside.

Police have started tracking down the Internet Protocol addresses of the 26 users whose comments, out of the total 900 posts on the band's Facebook page, were found abusive, officials said.

They said the delay of three days in lodging the FIR was due to large number of posts on the Facebook page of Kashmir's all-girl band ‘Pragaash', that took time to get scanned.

A case in the matter has been registered under Section 66A of IT Act and Section 506 RPC (criminal intimidation) in the Rajbagh police station here.

After online threats and fatwa were released against the first all girl rock band "Pragaash" of the Jammu and Kashmir, the band members decided to quit music to end the controversy.

Now, media reports say, one of the band member has left the Valley for Bangalore to get rid of her depression. The other two girls are said to be in the Valley. The family kept their whereabouts a secret to avoid any untoward incidents.

However, on Tuesday, Feb 5 one of the band member spoke to news channels and expressed anguish about the controversy surrounding their band.

"Kashmir is not a place for music. If anyone wants to learn music they have to go out," a member of the band which went by the name of 'Pragaash"(light) said in a choked voice.

The problems for the girls began after they started receiving abusive and threatening online posts and opposition by a Muslim cleric.